Creamy Mustard Soup with Leek, Aged Cheese & Bacon Lardons

Ingredients

• 2leek — approx. 400 g
• 1onion — medium, yellow
• 2 clovesgarlic
• 30 gbutter
• 30 gflour
• 800 mlvegetable stock
• 150 mlcooking cream
• 2½ tbspwholegrain mustard
• 75 gaged cheese — grated
• 125 gbacon lardons — smoked
• ½ tspthyme — dried
• black pepper
• salt — optional, a little

Method

1. 1

   Wash the leeks and cut the white and light green parts into thin rings. Set aside approximately 30g of thin leek rings.

2. 2

   Finely chop the onion and garlic.

3. 3

   Fry the bacon lardons for 5–7 minutes in a dry frying pan until crispy, then drain.

4. 4

   Melt the butter in a soup pot and sauté the onion and remaining leek for 5 minutes over medium-low heat.

5. 5

   Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute.

6. 6

   Add the flour and stir well for 2 minutes.

7. 7

   Add the vegetable stock gradually while continuously stirring.

8. 8

   Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 8 minutes.

9. 9

   Purée the soup until completely smooth.

10. 10

    Reduce the heat to low and add the cooking cream and 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard.

11. 11

    Add the aged cheese gradually and stir until it has melted. Do not let it boil vigorously anymore.

12. 12

    Taste and add up to the remaining ½ tbsp mustard to taste.

13. 13

    Season with black pepper and a little salt, if necessary.

14. 14

    Divide among four bowls and garnish with crispy bacon lardons and a few thin leek rings.